Boredom during the vacations?Using media time creatively

Computers, tablets and smartphones are usually used more intensively than usual during the vacations. However, this doesn't have to be a negative thing, as you can also work creatively with these devices. Which camera setting is the right one? How do you edit radio plays? And how do you animate games? With the right tools and information pages, children can quickly learn the most important tricks for working creatively with media. This makes the supposedly boring vacation time fly by. This not only offers added value for their own media experience. It also enables an informed and critical examination of media content. klicksafe presents recommended offers.

Using media time creatively

The use of digital media opens up numerous opportunities: People caninform themselves ,communicate with others   and beentertained   . We can also use media to express ourselves creatively and discover our  talents. This includes, for example, being able to produce films, podcasts, radio plays or texts ourselves. Actively engaging with media creates positive experiences and develops media skills.

Parents can discover creative media offerings together with their children. Taking photos, recording videos, recording radio plays - this is not only fun, but also creates discussion spaces for media use and expands their own media experience. Media can be used at school to present ideas audiovisually. The creative use of images and sound can be approached in lessons and on project days. In doing so, children and young people get to know the workings of media and at the same time learn how they can use media production for their own purposes.

Note for parents

Make sure that the devices your children use are set up safely. You can find step-by-step instructions at www.medien-kindersicher.de.

Creative with media - offers for children and young people

JFF – Institute for Media Education

The JFF’s kids’ page features many child-friendly guides and instructional videos to help children create their own media projects. The guides can also be filtered by age group (ages three and up, six and up, and nine and up), making it easy to find the right resources for every age group. It’s also worth exploring the website further. Here you’ll find plenty of tips for parents and additional ideas for creative media use.

Medienbox NRW: The Toolkit for Your Project in Pictures and Sound

With Medienbox NRW, young people and all citizens can learn basic media production techniques. Whether for a school project or for leisure activities—Medienbox NRW offers free, interactive learning resources and teaches the basics of producing audio and audiovisual content.

knipsclub

knipsclub is a photo platform for children ages eight to twelve where they can share and learn in a safe environment. At www.knipsclub.de, children can upload photos and view photos posted by other children. There are also plenty of tips and tricks related to photography to discover. knipsclub uses animations, video clips, and hands-on activities to teach children about photography and safe online behavior. knipsi, the knipsclub mascot, explains even complex topics in a simple and child-friendly way.

AUDITORIX

The “AUDITORIX – Quality Listening” project is dedicated to targeted hearing education and promoting listening skills in children. The “Do It Yourself” section of the website offers a wide variety of activities. Among other things, under the heading “Let’s Make a Radio Play,” you’ll find a checklist for the process and assigning tasks, as well as templates for a script. If you don’t want to write your own story, you can also use one of the freely available radio play scripts.

Scratch

Scratch is a programming language and online community that allows children to create and share interactive stories, games, and animations. Scratch is designed for young people ages 8 to 16. For younger children ages 5 to 7, there is a simplified version of Scratch called ScratchJr. By creating and sharing Scratch projects, young people develop creativity, logical thinking, and teamwork skills. For beginners, Scratch also offers a tutorial and many guides to help them get started easily.

Spinxx

The SPINXX project offers 12- to 17-year-olds a platform for actively and critically engaging with films. Young people do not need to be members of one of the editorial teams to participate on www.spinxx.de. There’s also the option to write a guest review of a film, which will be posted online after being reviewed by the editorial team. The “How to…” section summarizes how a film review is structured and what’s important for a competent film evaluation.

Competitions for children and young people

There are many different competitions in Germany where children and teens can submit their media projects. We’ve put together a small selection here.

Only nationwide competitions for children are listed here. However, there are also many regional opportunities and initiatives. A search using the terms “media competition for children” along with your federal state, region, or city will show you whether there are any good opportunities in your area.